Sweetpotato plant named  &#39;la15-527&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of sweetpotato, identified as ‘LA15-527’, is disclosed having attractive chartreuse leaves and storage root formation.

Genus and species name:

Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.

Variety denomination: ‘LA15-527’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sweetpotatoes, unlike Irish potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), are not tuberpropagated plants. A “tuber” is a short, thickened portion of anunderground branch. Along a tuber “eyes” are found, each of whichcomprises a ridge bearing a scale-like leaf (analogous to a branch leaf)having minute meristematic buds in the axial of the leaf. By contrast,sweetpotato roots are developmentally and anatomically true roots,lacking meristematic buds, and are not derived from an undergroundbranch. Sweetpotatoes do not form tubers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to a new and distinct variety of sweetpotato.This new and distinct sweetpotato variety demonstrates no resistance toFusarium wilt and southern root-knot nematode, and has ornamentalfoliage characteristics. It also demonstrates a white-yellow flesh withsometimes purple mottling in the storage root. Leaves are chartreuse andsimilar to the mostly non-storage root forming ‘Marguerite’ ornamentalvariety.

This new and distinct sweetpotato variety is identified as ‘LA15-527’,and is characterized by ornamental chartreuse foliage, and storage rootswith white-yellow flesh and sometimes purple mottling, oblong shape, andlight tan skin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a color photograph of the fleshy root form of the novelvariety of sweetpotato identified as ‘LA15-527’.

FIG. 2 is a color photograph of the fleshy root form of the ‘Marguerite’variety of sweetpotato.

FIG. 3 is a color photograph of the canopy biomass of the novel varietyof sweetpotato identified as ‘LA15-527’ (right) and ‘Marguerite’ (left).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

This new variety of sweetpotato, named ‘LA15-527’, resulted from a crossperformed in 2014 between a progeny of ‘Marguerite’ x LA2001.6 (notpatented) and the male parent LA 08-36 (not patented). The female parent(‘Marguerite’ x ‘LA2001.6’) has green, deep lobed leaves and isprofusely flowering. The male parent (‘LA 08-36’) has chartreuse, spadeshaped leaves. ‘LA15-527’ was developed to provide a variety withornamental foliage characteristics similar to ‘Marguerite’, but withstorage root formation. ‘Marguerite’ infrequently produces a fleshystorage root.

Plants of ‘LA15-527’ and variety ‘Marguerite’ can be differentiated.Leaves of ‘LA15-527’ are chartreuse [10 Y (yellow) (6/10)] and‘Marguerite’ in comparison is more yellow [10 Y (yellow) (6/8)] asdepicted in FIG. 3. Both have entire leaves. ‘LA15-527’ has a cordatebase to the leaf and ‘Marguerite’ is slightly hastate. ‘LA15-527’ formsfleshy storage roots while ‘Marguerite’ infrequently produces storageroots. Color terminology used herein is in accordance with the MUNSELL°Book of Color (2003 Edition, Munsell Color, GretagMacbeth LLC, 617Little Britain Road, New Windsor, N.Y. 12553-6148). The colordescriptions and color illustrations are as nearly true as is reasonablypossible. However, it is understood that both color and other phenotypicexpressions described herein may vary from plant to plant withdifferences in growth, environment and cultural conditions, without anychange in the genotype of the variety ‘LA15-527’.

‘LA15-527’ roots were stored during the winter in Baton Rouge, La.‘LA15-527’ was planted the following spring, resulting in approximately8-10 sprouts per root. Cuttings from the sprouts were transplantedsuccessfully for asexual reproduction in Baton Rouge, La. Asexualpropagation of the new cultivar by cuttings has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new sweetpotato were stable and that the plantreproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualpropagation. Plants described herein were 90 days in age from plantingin full sun field plantings.

FIG. 1 depicts the fleshy root form of the ‘LA15-527’ sweetpotato. Theskin is light tan at harvest and after several months of storage asshown in Table 1. MUNSELL° Book of Color values for skin and flesh for‘LA15-527’ and ‘Marguerite’ are shown in Table 1. No eyes orlongitudinal grooving is present. The ‘Marguerite’ sweetpotato isdepicted in FIG. 2. The skin for ‘LA15-527’ and ‘Marguerite’ was smooth.The ‘LA15-527’ cortex was 4.1 mm in depth and the color similarthroughout for the white-yellow flesh; some fleshy roots have purplemottling. The skin of ‘Marguerite’ is red-purple and flesh similar to‘LA15-527’ without purple mottling.

TABLE 1 Variable Variety Color Skin ‘LA15-527’ 5 Y (yellow) R (red) 8/4‘Marguerite’ 2.5 R (red) P (purple) 6/6 Flesh ‘LA15-527’ 5 Y (yellow)9/2 ‘LA15-527' (purple 2.5 R (red) P (purple) 7/4 mottle) ‘Marguerite’7.5 Y (yellow) 9/2

FIG. 3 depicts the canopy biomass of ‘LA15-527’ and ‘Marguerite’sweetpotato. ‘LA15-527’ has round, green-stemmed vines which changelittle [2.5 G (green) Y (yellow) (6/10)] from the apex and extends tothe crown of the roots. Stems exposed to bright sun take on a reddishhue [5 R (red) (4/4)]. The first 4 cm from the apex is slightlypubescent before becoming glabrous. The ‘LA15-527’ canopy biomassappears less than ‘Marguerite’. The ‘LA15-527’ canopy architecture wassemi-upright and average (23 cm) in height from the soil surface andless than ‘Marguerite’. For ‘LA15-527’, three main vines arose from themain stem near the soil surface. The stem giving rise to these vines was1.3 cm in diameter; the 3 lateral vines were 121 cm in length withdiameters of about 0.4 cm at 65 cm from the base and diameters of about0.25 cm at the first internode of the first fully developed leaf fromthe apex. The spread is less than ‘Marguerite’ but average compared toother sweetpotato varieties. Six lateral branches arose from each of themain vines. At the first internode from the apex, the internode lengthwas about 1.3 cm between the first and second fully developed leaves.Internode lengths for other sections of the vine averaged about 3.1 cm.Unfolded immature leaves were light green [2.5 G (green) Y (yellow)(6/8)] for the adaxial and a more yellow [10 Y (yellow) 6/10)] abaxialsurface, which change little over 7 nodes from the apex. The abaxialleaves differ slightly [2.5 G (green) Y (yellow) (6/4)]. Anthocyaninpigmentation and pubescence were absent from the stem tips and unfoldedimmature leaves. Mature leaves five nodes from the apex had an acuteapex and mostly a cordate base. Leaf margins are smooth. Mature leaveswere about 7.4 cm long and 7.7 cm wide with margins having 5 veryshallow leaf lobes and round in appearance. Leaves were glabrous forabaxial and adaxial sides, without undulations, and pliable. Matureadaxial and abaxial veins were in a pinnate venation pattern and weakpurple [7.5 R (red) P (purple) (4/6)] and fades as it reaches the apexof the leaf. This differs from immature leaves with no purple hue toveins. The petiole was green [2.5 G (green) Y (yellow) (6/10)]. A weakpurple [7.5 R (red) P (purple) (4/6)] marking was at the base of theentire leaf junction with the petiole and extends 0.5 cm on the petiole.The round glabrous petiole was 3.0 cm long at five nodes from the apex,and 2 mm in diameter at 5 cm from the leaf junction. The dormant nodalmeristem was green [2.5 G (green) Y (yellow) (6/10)].

Flowers are uncommon in ‘LA15-527’. A typical inflorescence of‘LA15-527’ displayed two flowers per peduncle. Peduncles were green [10Y (yellow) (6/8)], about 4.2 cm long, and about 3 mm in diameter.Individual flowers were about 3.5 cm long from the base of the calyx,and the corolla was 2.5 cm wide at the opening. The fused flower petalsformed a pentagonal pattern with smooth edges. The inner throat of thecorolla was purple [7.5 P (purple) (3/8)]. The inner and outer limbs ofthe corolla (corollas outermost area, distal from the calyx) were lightpurple [7.5 P (purple) (7/4)]. The five sepals comprising the calyx wereelliptic with a cordate apex and green [2.5 G (green) Y (yellow) (6/6)];three of these sepals were about 10 mm long and 4 mm wide. Two othersepals (interspersed) were about 6 mm long and 2.7 mm wide. Sepalmargins were entire. Stigmata were about 1.4 cm long and light purple[7.5 R (red) P (purple) (8/6)] at the base before fading. Five stamenswere inferior to the stigmata. A slight fragrance was present. Matureseed capsules are round and 6-6.3 mm in length and width, and seeds are3.5 mm round. One black [neutral 1.75] seed is produced on average percapsule.

EXAMPLE 1 Tests Conducted

To confirm that ‘LA15-527’ was a new ornamental variety with storageroots, controlled tests (e.g., pathogen responses and yield) wereconducted in Baton Rouge, La. Diseases that commonly affect the growthof sweetpotatoes were selected to test for pathogen responses in bothvarieties. ‘LA15-527’ was very susceptible to Fusarium wilt or stem rotcaused by Fusarium oxysporum Schlect. f sp. batatas (Wollenw.) Snyd. &Hans.

‘LA15-527’ has not been tested for novel insect resistance.

Nematode reproduction was measured in greenhouse tests. ‘LA15-527’ wassusceptible to race 3 of the southern root-knot nematode, Meloidogyneincognita (Kofoid & White 1919) Chitwood 1949. Resistance reactions for‘Marguerite’ are unknown.

‘LA15-527’ is drought and heat tolerant like ‘Marguerite’ and succumbsto death at freezing like ‘Marguerite’.

To determine yield production, three sweetpotato plants of ‘LA15-527’were transplanted to 2.65 L pots in 2018 in Baton Rouge, La. containingcommercial potting soil. Pots were watered daily to field capacity.Storage roots are mostly oblong and thus do not fit U.S grades ofsweetpotato. The average yield was 0.5kg per pot. Most roots measure90-135 mm long and 27-44 mm in diameter. Roots tend to be in two weightclasses (50-80g and 120-150g) and small. ‘LA15-527’ is not intended forcommercial storage root production, but intended as an ornamental withedible storage roots.

‘LA15-527’ should be a valuable commercial ornamental sweetpotatovariety. ‘LA15-527’ represents a unique canopy type which producesedible storage roots.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Ipomoea batatas plant named‘LA15-527’ as described and illustrated in the specification herein.